Great Depression Basics
What was the main goal of the New Deal programs?
A. Raise taxes
B. Create jobs and help the economy
C. Build shopping malls
D. Support foreign armies
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: The New Deal helped Americans recover from the Great Depression by creating jobs and rebuilding the economy.
What was a major cause of the Dust Bowl?
A. Overplanting and drought
B. Floods in East Texas
C. Freezing winters
D. Oil drilling
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: Poor farming methods and a long drought ruined soil and caused dust storms.
Who created the New Deal?
A. Herbert Hoover
B. Franklin D. Roosevelt
C. John Nance Garner
D. Sam Houston
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: FDR launched the New Deal to help the U.S. recover from the Great Depression.
Which Texan served as Vice President under FDR?
A. Lyndon B. Johnson
B. John Nance Garner
C. Sam Rayburn
D. James Hogg
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: John Nance Garner, from Uvalde, supported New Deal policies.
What is a depression in economic terms?
A. A strong economy
B. A sudden boost in jobs
C. A time of high unemployment and poverty
D. A type of storm
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: An economic depression is when jobs are lost and money is scarce.
Which group was hit hardest during the Great Depression?
A. Government workers
B. Wealthy business owners
C. Farmers and working-class families
D. College students
Answer: C
Explanation: Farmers and the working class often lost jobs, homes, and land due to the economic collapse.
Where did many Dust Bowl farmers go?
A. South to Mexico
B. East to Georgia
C. West to California
D. North to Canada
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Many migrated west in search of jobs and better living conditions.
What was the purpose of the CCC?
A. Build military weapons
B. Help women find jobs
C. Give young men jobs in nature
D. Open new factories
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: The Civilian Conservation Corps hired young men to work in forests and parks.
Which Texan helped create economic laws during the Depression?
A. James Bowie
B. Davy Crockett
C. Sam Rayburn
D. Audie Murphy
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Sam Rayburn helped pass laws that regulated banks and businesses.
What is overproduction?
A. Growing just enough crops
B. Making too much of a product
C. Giving crops away
D. Banning trade
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: When too many goods are made and not sold, prices drop and jobs are lost.
What happened to many banks during the Great Depression?
A. They shut down due to financial losses
B. They became more popular
C. They gave out free loans
D. They moved to other countries
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: Many banks failed because people withdrew money, and loans couldn't be paid back.
What did dust storms do to homes and farms?
A. Protected crops
B. Caused flooding
C. Covered land and destroyed crops
D. Cleaned the soil
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Winds blew away topsoil and made land useless for farming.
Which program gave jobs building roads and schools?
A. WPA
B. IRS
C. FBI
D. TVA
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: The Works Progress Administration built public buildings and provided jobs.
Which Texan helped give loans to struggling businesses?
A. Jesse H. Jones
B. Stephen F. Austin
C. Mirabeau Lamar
D. Charles Goodnight
✅ Answer: A
Explanation: Jesse H. Jones worked with the government to support business recovery.
What is the meaning of "migrate"?
A. Build a house
B. Stay in one place
C. Move from one area to another
D. Farm new crops
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Many families migrated to other states during the Dust Bowl.
Why did unemployment rise during the Great Depression?
A. More people retired
B. Companies closed or downsized
C. New factories opened
D. The weather was too cold
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: Businesses shut down or cut jobs because they couldn’t afford to stay open.
What region in Texas was hit hardest by the Dust Bowl?
A. Coastal Plains
B. Hill Country
C. Panhandle
D. South Texas
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: The Texas Panhandle faced the worst dust storms and soil erosion.
How did the New Deal help Texas?
A. Banned oil production
B. Created jobs for Texans
C. Closed farms
D. Took over railroads
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: Many Texans got jobs through programs like the CCC and WPA.
What was a common goal for Texas leaders during the Depression?
A. Declaring independence
B. Ending trade
C. Supporting economic recovery
D. Starting new wars
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Many Texas leaders worked with the federal government to rebuild the economy.
What is a relief program?
A. A sports event
B. A church service
C. A government effort to help people
D. A way to protest
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Relief programs offered money, food, and jobs to struggling citizens.
How did the Great Depression affect Texas?
A. It had little impact
B. It improved farming conditions
C. Texans lost jobs and moved away
D. Texas became wealthier
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Many Texans lost land and income, especially in farming regions.
What did the government do to prevent future Dust Bowls?
A. Made it illegal to farm
B. Planted trees and taught new farming methods
C. Gave farmers more land
D. Built dust-proof houses
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: Conservation programs taught farmers how to protect the soil.
What type of people were helped by the New Deal?
A. Only wealthy business owners
B. Only soldiers
C. Workers, farmers, and unemployed people
D. Children only
✅ Answer: C
Explanation: The New Deal focused on helping people who lost jobs and homes.
What role did Texans play during the Great Depression?
A. Ignored national problems
B. Took national leadership roles
C. Focused only on farming
D. Avoided change
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: Several Texans helped shape national economic policy during the 1930s.
What is the "boom-and-bust" cycle?
A. When the economy is always strong
B. A cycle of rising and falling prices and jobs
C. A type of musical rhythm
D. A farming tradition
✅ Answer: B
Explanation: It’s a repeating pattern of economic growth followed by sudden decline.